Naples City Police Chief Mark Watkins has a message for the community: DO NOT fall prey to scammers over the phone. Chief Watkins received a phone call from a caller on Friday asking if he’d be interested in making a donation to a foundation to support law enforcement in the local area. “The caller clearly didn’t know who he had called,” says Chief Watkins. “It very much upsets me that anyone would take advantage of the citizens in our community in the name of law enforcement. I want everyone to know that there is absolutely no department or administration, association, or foundation in this community, state, or nation that will solicit your money for law enforcement over the phone. If you receive a call, do not give them any money. If you think they may be legitimate for some reason take their name and phone number and call your local law enforcement but never give out your information over the phone.” Chief Watkins also explains that the scammers use a camouflaging system that makes it appear that the call is coming from a local phone number. Don’t fall for it! While it can be difficult to track the scammers, says Chief Watkins, our best defense to battle them is to spread the word and make sure that no one falls prey and makes a donation. Multiple calls were reported in the last week.
